May 8
Woe to those who join house to house, who add field to field, until there is no more room, and you are made to dwell alone in the midst of the land. Isaiah 5:8
The majority of our neighborhood is in the middle of protesting a controversial proposed development that will forever alter the face of the community. On both sides there are reasonable issues for their support and as with most things that are politically backed, in my opinion, this will come to pass - a decision somewhere in the tangle of the political web has already been made.
At the same time, I find myself observing the wildlife in our community. With the continued marketable growth and expansion all around us, more and more birds and little creatures seem to be using our yard as a safe haven. They know they will find trees, water and some resource of nutrition here; and our Maizy, now in her old age doesn’t chase them anymore, but delights in lying on the deck watching all their antics and activity!
In how many communities across the United States have these scenes been played out? How much land and all that dwells within it, have we destroyed in the name of progress? Certainly I am not advocating a halt to all development or saying that there is not a time and place to build! But when we are turning out bigger and more without regard for the consequences; when we have changed the face of the earth for generations to come, as any environmentalist will confirm, its time we each took responsibility for our role in it.
And isn’t it interesting that despite the physical distance between us getting closer, and our world becoming smaller with all the social media at our finger tips, we are as individuals more and more isolated from one another, less aware of one another’s needs, and in fact often choosing to be oblivious to it.
Lord, show us how to prioritize the care-full protection of all life in this beautiful world you have given us!
Copyright© 2014 Kathleen A. Matson